Marshals to enforce lockdown in Bengaluru's containment zones

Repeated violations in the city's COVID-19 containment zones have prompted the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to deploy marshals in these areas to strictly enforce the lockdown rules.

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar on Friday ordered deploying marshals in the containment zones of Padarayanapura (Ward No 135) and JJ Nagar (Ward No 136) following media reports that there has been a free movement of people and vehicles in these areas. He warned that violators will be penalised.

Follow live updates on coronavirus here

Kumar and other senior officials visited 2nd Cross, Vinayak Nagar, in the JJ Nagar ward, where a 28-year-old man (Patient-1397) had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 20. Authorities have identified eight people as his primary contacts and six as secondary contacts who include the owner of the building where the patient lives, and his family members. All of them have been sent to a government quarantine centre. The commissioner also directed spraying disinfectants in the area and that residents must wear masks.

Home quarantine for these people

Meanwhile, pregnant women, children aged under 10, people aged 80 and above and terminally ill patients travelling from abroad do not require the 14-day institutional quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19.

These four categories of asymptomatic patients will be tested immediately on arrival at the airport and they need to test negative to avoid going to institutional quarantine. They would instead be stamped and sent to home quarantine.

On May 13, the state government had announced to exempt the four categories if they test negative.